Nickelsville Alert of 10-5-09

[Scott Morrow]

As you know we were swept on Wednesday the 30th from the port of
Seattle’s T-107 Park. It was shocking and shattering. Most of us
have been separated from everything we own, except what will fill a
backpack or two.

Since then many of us have been at St. Andrews Episcopal Church on
80th Ave NW. Many more, though, are floating between other places –
temporarily couch surfing, sleeping in vehicles, staying in the
jungle. A sizable number fled to Motels on Aurora. There are some
ideas to try and have a project there. That’s not Nickelsville’s
goal, but we wish them luck.

Many of the Nickelodeons who were swept last Wednesday will not be
able to get back together until we have another outdoor site. This,
and our inability to get our things back until we have an outdoor
site, are two reasons why it is so important someone – most likely a
church – stand up and let us stay for up to 3 months while we secure
the permanent site.

On this Wednesday, the 7th, our core group of Nickelodeons will be
moving to Keystone Congregational Church at 5019 Keystone Place North
(& 50th in Wallingford.) It is a small building with a bighearted
congregation. They are willing to share with us all they have, which
is very moving to us.

We will be staying in their Sanctuary, and it is not yet clear how we
will cook. It is not likely that more than 30 people can fit into the
space. Because two Congregations use the space on Sundays we will
have to be out from 8 AM to 7:30 PM on that day.

We would love to see you and visit, but must ask that you be careful
in the donations that are dropped by – there isn’t much storage room.

At the same time, we have a big quandary. All of our belongings have
either been seized by the Port, or are in one storage group with
friends. In both cases, we cannot recover and take responsibility for
them until there is an outdoor site with storage.

That means some of the clothes on our back have been the same clothes
on the same back for a couple of days. We need to get some new
clothes, and replace some of the other possessions we can’t yet
retrieve.

If you have the following specific item their donation would be very
helpful. If it’s not on this list, please call either the camp number
– 450-5268 – or the Staff number - 450-9136. Then we can tell you
whether to bring it now, or to wait until later.

Here is what we are in need of right now: Winter coats, blankets,
sleeping bags. Men's pants, sizes 34 to 36 shirts, women's size 7 –
18, large to ex large sweatshirts, and also hygiene such as
toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, towels, and deodorant.

Ready to eat food for about 30, tents and most of all money to pay for
past and future porta potties and dumpsters are also needed.

If you’ve seen a Nickelsvile Alert before, you know that there are
over 40 pieces of property in Seattle that are sitting vacant right
now that would be great for our permanent site. It’s just that we
have not yet found an owner of such property – despite repeated
requests – who is willing to share.

In the same way there are many churches and charitable organizations
with a patch of land large enough to accommodate up to 100
Nickelodeons for the next 3 months while we secure a permanent site.
We must confess a little disappointment that almost one week after the
Port shattered our community, no one with temporarily available land
has yet contacted us.

Please remind those you know with an unused parking lot or patch of
lawn that they are needed and have a chance to do a great thing!
Thanks!